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Friday, July 31, 2015

The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' 2015 Summer Conference is going to be an amazing event, bringing together over 1,000 of my fellow writers and illustrators and agents and editors and publishers and art directors of books for kids and teens. All of us passionate about telling great stories, and about the power of stories to make kids' lives, and our world, better.

I will be...

#1
MODERATING
On Friday, from 5:00 pm-6:00 pm, I'll be moderating the SCBWI Success Story panel, talking with Martha Brockenbrough, Mike Curato, Stacey Lee, Lori Nichols and Anna Shinoda about "Tips On How To Realize Your Dream." They're a brilliant and varied group, and I'm excited to learn from them! (This is a plenary panel in the main conference space, the California Ballroom.)

#2
HOSTING
Later that same evening, from 7:30 pm-9:00 pm, I'll be hosting the LGBTQ Q&A. I love this informal, sit-in-a-circle, share and talk about creating works with LGBTQ characters and themes with conference attendees and our wonderful faculty guests. This year we've confirmed the participation so far of bestselling author Ellen Hopkins, legendary editor Emma Dryden, art director (and debut YA author) Laurent Linn, and my own wonderful agent, Danielle Smith of Red Fox Literary. (This awesome event will be in the Westwood room.)

#3
CO-FACILITATING
On Monday morning, along with Jim Averbeck, I'll be co-facilitating the Intensive, "Your Plan For An Effective and Successful Blog: Audience. Content. Discoverability. Synergy." Jim and I have been having a lot of fun pulling this workshop together, and we're excited to get hands-on about blogging with the intensive participants!

#4
OOOOHING
Adam Rex! Dan Santat! Varian Johnson! Shannon Hale! Kwame Alexander! And those are just a few of the keynoters!!!

#5
AAAHING
The editors panel with Jordan Brown, Julie Strauss-Gabel, Allyn Johnston, Rotem Moscovich, Sara Sargent, Alison Weiss and Wendy Loggia! There's so much insight to be gained from getting to hear these editors in person!

#6
LISTENING
The "Diversity in Children's Books: Challenges and Solutions" panel with Joe Cepeda, Brandy Colbert, Varian Johnson, I.W. Gregorio, Nicola Yoon and Miranda Paul. This is such a "hot" topic right now, and I want to listen closely to see how I can be part of the solution to making books for kids and teens more diverse!

#7
LEARNING
From my fellow attendees to my fellow faculty members, I feel like everyone has something to offer. I'm going to stay open to the experience ahead, and know that it's often the unexpected moments of talking with someone that can be the most rewarding.

#8
SPARKLING
The theme of the Saturday night party is "Sparkle and Shine." I've got a plan (a secret plan...), which is happily both conceptually fun and not too hard to pull together. I hope.

#9
BELONGING
This is my tribe. My community. My colleagues. My friends. It's a great feeling, spending these days, being my authentic self in a community that values and honors me for being exactly me. It's is time that I truly relish.

#10
WRITING
Even when I'm super busy at a conference, I try to get up a half-hour earlier than I have to and squeeze in a few minutes a day of writing. Because writing reminds me that I am a writer. That I create worlds, and characters and stories. And there's power in that!

Oh, and I almost forgot... of course, I'll be BLOGGING!
#11
Once again I'll be leading the powerful SCBWI Team Blog (Martha Brockenbrough, Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekly and Don Tate), live-blogging and tweeting from the conference floor. Follow along on social media with the hashtag #LA15SCBWI and at the Official SCBWI Conference blog here.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Here's looking forward to the day when, like the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts come out with a consistent, proud message that scouting is #FOReveryKID! And now we're so much closer to that.

The New York Times article brought up that the Mormon Church is still obstructing equality, still fighting for their homophobic agenda. (And there's still a loophole for churches, where "...the new policy allows church-sponsored units to choose local unit leaders who share their precepts, even if that means restricting such positions to heterosexual men.")

But for now, in the big picture, justice has won.

I'm excited and grateful to everyone who fought for this over the years, including the Eagle Scout who left the Boy Scouts because they knew me and my husband, and the prejudice against gay members and leaders felt so wrong to them.

Now, the policy has been made right. Gay kids can participate in Boy Scouts. Gay adults can be Scout Leaders.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Piri is a nineteen-year-old boy who lives in a technological metropolis that rises up above the clouds. But when an accident drops him out of the city, everything changes. At first terrified by the atrocious reality of life on the surface, including surviving gruesome creatures known as Scavs, Piri is soon mesmerized by the bond they have for one another. He also comes to understand his own feelings for Niko, the boy who
rescued him.

In the end, Piri chooses love over comfort. But things are never as they seem. When he discovers just how far the city dwellers will go to
maintain control, and the horrific truth behind an ancient and secret alliance, he will do everything he can to protect his new family—and
disrupt the balance.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Jamie Richards has lost a lot. Her father died four years ago and her mother is consumed by her career. Jamie finds an escape through her artistic passion and her first love--the one person who hasn't abandoned her, Erica Sinclair.
Overwhelmed by their own harsh realities, Jamie and Erica create a world of their own in an abandoned park--a place they call "Wonderland." Jamie idolizes Erica until the two grow closer, and she realizes that her ideal image of Erica is nothing shy of fiction. When cracks beneath the exterior become more prevalent, Jamie begins to question the love she thought she had for Erica, and if that love was ever reciprocated.
And then it happens. A shocking event occurs that changes Jamie and Erica's relationship forever. Jamie knows that there's no escaping this reality--she'll have to find a way to move forward without hiding behind her sketchbook.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Eighteen-year-old Simon Peters wants to stand up for the truth about who he is. His love for Stephen is unwavering, but does he have the courage to defend it when his entire church community, including his eldest brother Paul, have ostracized him? Will Stephen's feelings change now that he's been banished to the Waverly Christian Center to learn how to be normal again? Trapped in a cashier's job he hates, struggling to maintain peace with his brothers after their parents have died, and determined to look after his mute twin and his friend Tina, Simon puts everyone else's needs before his own. It takes a courageous act on the part of Jude, his devoted twin, to change both of their lives forever. Jude, who is wiser than anyone ever knew. Jude, who understands that the meaning of the fig tree blooming in their scrappy backyard can finally set them free.

Monday, July 20, 2015

"I had some staff who were livid at first, because they thought it would be about sex, or us endorsing a lifestyle... But the G.S.A. isn't about that, and they've come around. This is a club that promotes safety, and it gives kids a voice. And the most amazing thing has happened since the G.S.A. started. Bullying of all kinds is way down. The G.S.A. created this pervasive anti-bullying culture on campus that affects everyone."

Friday, July 17, 2015

Sam & Aaron is a short illustrated story following the puppy love shared by two young grade-school aged boys. It is a story without an antagonist or conflict and dwells on the innocence and excitement of first love.

The author/illustrator explains (both in his about page and as part of the kickstarter video he's created to print up copies of the story) that being gay and coming out for him was full of negative emotions, confusion, fear and shame. He wrote and illustrated "Sam & Aaron" as a way to heal himself. As he says, "a hopeful view of a world I hope to see for future generations."

Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley are five best pals determined to have an awesome summer together...and they're not gonna let any insane quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way!

I liked the recent article on "Lumberjanes" in the LA Times where Noelle revealed that "We wanted to set up this safe place that was sort of set apart from the rest of the world. No one here is going to react to Mal and Molly with homophobia. No one's going to judge their relationship. Mal and Molly aren't the only characters who have gender and sexuality to figure out."

Sounds so cool! Volume 2 is out in October 2015... Add your review of "Lumberjanes" in comments!

They explained what had happened, and asked the larger community to help them replace the funds, so they could still help 500 girls be financially able to "join a troop, go to camp and participate in a multitude of other life-changing Girl Scout experiences even though their families can’t afford to pay for them."

As the indigogo text explains, through their participation in Girl Scouts, Every girl is empowered to:

"Use their voice to stand up for what they believe in
Be proud of who they are, and
Support each other to take action to make the world a better place."

Great goals!

So here's the even better news. They replaced that $100,000.00 donation in ONE DAY. And as of this writing, they'd raised a total of more than $330,000.00! Enough to help over 1,500 girls!

As Stefanie Ellis, the public relations director of Girl Scouts of Western Washington, was quoted in the Upworthy article about this,

"When we realized the donation would require us to exclude some girls, there was nothing else to do but return it. We were grateful to have the enthusiastic backing of our board and staff in making that decision. It was a sad one, though, because that money was for 500 girls who couldn't participate in all the life-changing opportunities we offer without financial support. So we knew we needed to find a way to get that money back. Crowdfunding came up as an idea, and we ran with it. Now here we are.
...
We wholeheartedly believe every girl means EVERY girl. And every girl should have the opportunity to be a Girl Scout if she wants to. The only way we're going to fulfill our mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place is if we make sure there aren't any barriers in place for girls' success. We welcome all girls to join us, and get out there and make a difference in our world!"

Friday, July 10, 2015

Strutting his stuff on the catwalk in black patent leather pumps and a snug orange tuxedo as this year’s Miss (ter) Harvest Moon feels so very right to Chance César, and yet he knows it should feel so very wrong.

As far back as he can remember, Chance has been “caught between genders.” (It’s quite a touchy subject; so don’t ask him about it.) However, he does not question his sexual orientation. Chance has no doubt about his gayness—he is very much out of the closet at his rural New Hampshire high school, where the other students avoid the kid they refer to as “girl-boy.”

But at the local Harvest Moon Festival, when Chance, the Pumpkin Pageant Queen, meets Jasper Donahue, the Pumpkin Carving King, sparks fly. So Chance sets out, with the help of his BFF, Emily, to make “Jazz” Donahue his man.

An article in an online women’s magazine, Ten Scientifically Proven Ways to Make a Man Fall in Love with You (with a bonus love spell thrown in for good measure), becomes the basis of their strategy to capture Jazz’s heart.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

"Heather's favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, two hands, two feet, two pets, and two mommies! When a child at her new school asks her about her daddy, Heather's teacher has all the children draw pictures of their families and everyone learns that "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other."

When the original edition of "Heather Has Two Mommies" came out, it drew fire (lots of fire) and praise (well-deserved) for being what we now look back on as an "historical landmark" in both children's publishing and queer parenting.

In this all new edition, with new illustrations by Laura Cornell, the story has pulled back from its older 'let me explain you something you've never heard – or maybe even thought about – before' and feels more in sync with where we are culturally today. Ultimately this new edition feels more of a picture book for kids, and less something written for gay and lesbian parents who were so desperate to have some representation in the books we read to our kids.

In my opinion, these changes make the book stronger, and even more worthy of celebration. So, yes, "Heather Has Two Mommies" is definitely a picture book I wish had been read to me when I was a little kid.

Add your review of either (or both) editions of "Heather Has Two Mommies" in comments!

Monday, July 6, 2015

For now we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Bridget Smith of Dunham Literary, Inc.

Agent Bridget Smith

Here's Bridget's Bio:

Bridget Smith is an associate agent at Dunham Literary, Inc, where she's worked since June 2011. She represents middle grade, YA, and adult novels, with special interest in fantasy & science fiction, historical fiction, and women’s fiction. Her tastes run to literary and character-driven novels.

Previously, she was an intern at Don Congdon Associates, worked at a secondhand book store in Connecticut, and evaluated short story submissions for Tor.com under Liz Gorinsky and Patrick Nielsen Hayden. She graduated from Brown University in 2010. While there, she studied anthropology and archaeology, worked as a radio DJ, fenced on the varsity team, and helped design an experiment that she later performed in microgravity at NASA. Currently she reads, runs, and watches more television than is probably good for her.

Our interview:

Lee: Hi Bridget!

Bridget: Hi Lee!

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Bridget: Thanks for having me! I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with you.

Lee: There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center.)

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Bridget: This is a really difficult question to answer, because I get so many submissions every month that it’s impossible to keep any sort of track. (I did once, for a conference panel, and it was so difficult and time-consuming that I vowed never to do it again.) Let’s estimate that I get about 9,000 queries in a year, including adult fiction. So I went and looked at the most recent 90 to get a very rough estimate. Of these, I found that 22 included diverse characters that were visible in the query. So approximately a quarter of my queries feature diversity, and it’s likely that more include diverse secondary characters. From this brief survey, I’d say the quality cross-section of those queries is roughly the same as the rest of my inbox: a few are intriguing and set aside for further consideration, a few are actively off-putting in some way, and the majority are simply not that interesting to me.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Bridget: I am, yes! I think this is the largest category, and it’s also the one talked about the most. I would still, however, love to see more: the discussion is warranted, as you can see by the CCBC stats.

Lee: How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Bridget: This is probably the fastest-growing category of diverse submissions that I get. I’m thrilled to see that increasing numbers of people are writing stories about LGBTQ characters that address more and more complex issues. Most of what I see, though, is gay boys. I don’t want fewer gay boys – but I’d like to see more bisexual boys, more girls of all stripes, more characters exploring the boundaries of gender and what it means to them personally. I want some characters who find immense satisfaction in knowing which label fits them, and some characters who prefer to eschew labels altogether!

Lee: Yup. Lables. That could be an entire other interview. We need more of it all! How about characters with disabilities?

Bridget: This is the smallest category that I see, and one of the hardest as well: very few people start a manuscript about, for example, a gay character with an explanation of what it means to be gay, but many of the characters with disabilities that I encounter spend more time focusing on the disability than on the story. I understand the urge! Writers want to make sure readers understand the character. And when you care about representing a particular disability well, you want it to be clear to the reader. But a disability, like any other facet of a character, needs to unfold within the story. Show me what it’s like to live with this disability rather than telling me all the symptoms. I’m particularly interested in the ways a disability can shape a person’s perception of the world and the stories that live within that space.

Lee: Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Bridget: I’m seeing a nice increase in socioeconomic diversity, as well. Class intersects with other kinds of diversity in important ways, and we’re still recovering from a recession that is the only reality most YA and MG readers have ever recognized. (Similar to how a current 14-year-old has only ever lived in a “post-9/11 world” and a United States that is at war, that same 14-year-old was 7 when the recession hit in 2008.) Most YA and MG readers are used to some form of austerity: whether their family is struggling from day to day, or there’s just some vague awareness that discounted clothes are preferable, they know that money matters. I’m seeing authors recognize and use this fact, and it’s appreciated.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Bridget: This is even harder to answer, because it’s entirely self-reported: barring a profile photo that shows up in Gmail, or a name whose background is easily recognizable, I only know as much about the writers as they choose to tell me. I’m sure there are more of them in my slush pile than I know about! I do see some, though, and I always welcome more. Would love to see more, in fact.

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Bridget: Honestly, I’m not sure I have the right to decide this! But my thoughts, in brief: I’d rather see a male author strive to include fully-formed female characters (even if he doesn’t always succeed) than write a world entirely without women. So I apply that feeling more broadly, with the understanding that other people’s thoughts may differ.I do prefer to see stories that are written by people with that background, not simply because it’s more likely to be “authentic” or respectful, but because they are more steeped in the variety of experiences associated with an identity and can thus write it in more varied, more intersectional ways. But I also think talented writers can and should look beyond their own background to create characters. Do the research, talk to willing members of that group, stretch your empathy muscles, know that you will get something wrong, and be ready to learn from criticism – polite or not.The opposite side of this coin, of course, is that if you’re a member of a marginalized group, you don’t have to tell that story. You are never required to be an advocate. If you want to write straightforward escapism about a ragtag group of space adventurers or a charming and low-stakes YA romance (though, of course, both of those can effectively include diversity), I’d still love to see that!

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Bridget: Honestly, most of the editors I know are looking for diversity in submissions. They want to find really good books that feature under-represented characters and their experiences, and they tell me this frequently. The intention is there! I think it can sometimes be hard for individual manuscripts to break through, especially when editors (like agents) know that they’re going to reject most of what they read and thus are looking to be blown away. I’ve recognized this pattern in my own reading and am trying to pay more attention to whether I’m not connecting with a manuscript because of a real mismatch or simply because it’s written from a point-of-view that’s different from mine.

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.
Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Bridget: I could talk here about empathy and self-recognition, about the value of seeing yourself in books and the importance of seeing others from the inside. I could talk about how certain books, read at the right moment, fixed something inside of me that I knew was broken but didn’t know how to name, and about how I want other children and teenagers to have those moments too. And all of that is true! But in the end, I must admit my driving reason is rather selfish: I think it makes for more interesting stories. I want more variety in my books, more voices and experiences brought to vivid breathing life. There are so many people with so many different stories in the world: how could I not want to hear as many of them as possible?

Lee: Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Bridget: Here’s where I have to acknowledge that I’m not really a picture book reader. I moved past them very quickly as a kid, and I’m not looking for them as an agent, so I can’t name a favorite. I do think Lee & Low does some really wonderful diverse (and intersectional) picture books, so I recommend checking out their catalogue.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Bridget: Like everyone else, I think THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie is fabulous. HOLES by Louis Sachar is also a little older, but it’s been a lifelong favorite and inspiration. Tim Federle’s BETTER NATE THAN EVER is a delight. Brian Selznick’s WONDERSTRUCK uses its medium very cleverly to depict a deaf character. And I have to put in a plug for one of my boss’s clients: WAITING FOR NORMAL by Leslie Connor (which won the Schneider Family Award in 2009) is a beautiful depiction of a girl living in poverty with her neglectful, possibly bipolar mother and surviving through sheer optimism and tenacity.

Lee: Young Adult?

Bridget: Among others, I love ASK THE PASSENGERS by A.S. King, WILD AWAKE by Hilary T. Smith, THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST by emily m. danforth, 17 & GONE by Nova Ren Suma, THE SUMMER PRINCE by Alaya Dawn Johnson, and UNSPOKEN by Sarah Rees Brennan. All really beautiful, compelling books that explore a variety of issues, some at the center of the story and some not. All of these are also, not coincidentally, really wonderful feminist books as well.

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Bridget: I’d love to see some diverse fantasies, whether they draw on non-Western cultures from our world or create something entirely new. For example, a recent wish was for something akin to the Black City from Tamora Pierce’s ALANNA. I love those books dearly, but I would have loved to see the Nameless Ones vanquished by a teenage Bazhir girl who had grown up knowing and fearing the legend. Send me things like that, where the culture shapes the story. I’m also interested in cheerful, optimistic, contemporary YA with diverse characters: so much of the time, the diversity discussion calls to mind heavy, serious books, and while those matter, I think it’s equally worthwhile to include diversity in pleasure reading!

Lee: And for writers reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Bridget: Please send me a query and the first five pages of your manuscript at query@dunhamlit.com! I’d love to know if you found me through this interview, too. As a reminder, I’m mostly looking for MG and YA in all genres, plus upmarket women’s fiction and SFF for adults.

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Bridget: It’s impossible to cover everything in a discussion like this, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten something. This isn’t a comprehensive list of the kinds of diversity I’m looking for: please do send me anything and everything! I’m always interested in intersectional diversity, too, as well as feminist and/or girl-driven books.

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Bridget: Thanks so much for having me here, and I look forward to reading some great books!

Thanks Bridget! Look for another AGENT LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

“I was so irritated because I see them all around town and all they ever do is make people feel like crap about themselves,” said Ragan, a junior at Tillamook High School. The men were standing outside Eyes of Oregon, on 1st Street and Main Avenue, where her mother works. “I went inside and asked her and her boss if it would be all right if I made a poster that stands up for what I believe in,” she said. “They were totally all for it. So I made a sign that said, ‘I love Gays.’”

When the man began insulting her she didn't back down, and soon Makaila was joined by supporters. Altogether, about 45 people joined her in counter-demonstrating. They stayed at the intersection until the men left at 10:30pm.

About Me

Author. Blogger. Make-The-World-A-Better-Placer. Out to Empower LGBTQ Teens and their Allies. SCBWI 2015 Member of the Year. Represented by Danielle Smith of Lupine Grove Creative. All opinions expressed on this blog are solely my own.

The Small Print: How To Recommend Books To Include, and a Disclaimer

Don't see your favorite Book here? First do a search in the top left search box. Then check my "Books Still To Come" list. If you still don't see it, just click on "Contact Me" and leave me a note. I appreciate all your help making this blogsite a comprehensive resource! Also, when you've read one of the books listed, help other visitors out by adding a review.

Submission Guidelines: If you are an author or publisher, I do not generally accept review copies, since I don't really review the books featured on this blog - My goal is to let readers review them. All I need is a synopsis (including what's significantly GLBTQ about the book - so I know why I should include it here), a link to the author website or some online info or interview with the author, and the book's release date (as I don't post on books before they are available to the public.) Please make sure to include your contact info so I can follow up with you!

Disclaimer: Having said that, some of the books discussed on this blog may have been provided by the author or publisher. While some Links when you click on a book cover image will take you to a bookstore online (as one option of how you can get the book), I do not currently have any commission or credit arrangement for linked purchases. The opinions expressed on this blog, unless they're a comment from someone else, are my own.

Please, be kind and patient with each other, with yourselves, and, well - with me. Thanks! Lee